Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Gym #1
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Three days after returning from Seoul Grand Park.
Classes and assignment bombs started up again this week.
Especially since tomorrow was the deadline for checking midterms, it was busier than usual.
KakaoTalk!
The notification rang, so I turned on my phone and checked the message.
- Students taking XXX course, please come to Room XXX in Building 2 of the Science Complex by XX date at XX time.
- Students taking 000 course, please come to Room 000 in Building 1 of the Science Complex by 00 date at 00 time.
As expected, group chat messages telling us to check our graded exams.
I scrolled up to look at past messages and saw it was almost time to head out for another class's exam.
If I left now, I'd make it just in time, so I got dressed and stepped out the door. Right on cue, the neighbor's door opened too.
The person who came out was wearing long black gym pants and a hoodie, with the crossbody bag I'd seen her with at the gym before slung over her shoulder. It was obvious where she was headed.
Our eyes met briefly, and she smiled first, greeting me.
"Oh! Hi. Long time no see."
"Ah, yeah, hi. Heading to the gym?"
"Hehe... You can tell from the outfit, right? Where are you off to, Woojin? School?"
"I'm just going to campus quick to check my midterms. Gotta make sure they graded them right."
"Totally. That's important. Oh! By the way, did you sign up for the gym? I haven't seen you around..."
"Well... I've been busy this week, but I was planning to now. Thinking of doing three months to start."
"Oh! The manager's here right now. Why don't you swing by after checking your exams? I'll put in a good word."
"That'd be great. I'll stop by if I wrap up quick."
"Sure~ Hope you make it soon. See you later!"
We chatted as the elevator arrived at the first floor, said our goodbyes, and parted ways.
It had only been a few days since I last saw her, but something felt a bit different.
I couldn't pinpoint it... Brighter? More energetic? Something like that.
Well, brighter was a good thing, so whatever.
I hurried off so I wouldn't have to wait in line to check my exams.
"Hmm... Looks good. Thanks."
"Alright, I'll enter the scores like this then."
I confirmed my exam with the TA, exchanged quick pleasantries, and left the building for the gym.
As I entered through the neat hallway, the female staff from before recognized me.
"Hey, hi. Hye-yoon said you'd be coming soon. Here to sign up today?"
"Yeah, she must've mentioned it. Just the three-month plan for now, please."
After paying, the staff handed me a key with a number on it.
"As you know, that's the key to your locker. We provide basic training clothes, but feel free to bring your own.
If the size doesn't fit, just let me know."
"Thanks."
I went to the locker with my number, opened it, and found a gray gym set with the gym logo.
Since I was here, I figured I'd do a light workout. I changed in the locker room and headed to the equipment area.
But since I'd only ever done basics like running or push-ups, I stood there blankly, not sure where to start.
'Should I ask Yoon Hye-yoon? She said she's been training for a year and a half.'
I started circling the gym to find her.
It was a weekday afternoon, but it was a good gym, so plenty of people were around.
A buff guy doing deadlifts, a lady jogging lightly on the treadmill,
college students lifting dumbbells—quite the variety.
And of course, the woman in leggings right in front of me that I couldn't miss.
What was that called again? Hip thrusts...?
Shoulders on the bench, knees at 90 degrees to the floor, lifting the hips up.
From the side, your eyes went straight to her ass and waistline. From an angle, to her tight abs and the slight mound of her pussy—you couldn't look away.
Lowering and thrusting her hips up like that—it was so hot, you couldn't tell if it was exercise or pure sex appeal.
I glanced up a bit to her decently sized, pretty breasts and collarbones, then checked her face...
"Hngh... Ha... Hngghh...! Ha..."
There was Yoon Hye-yoon, the one I'd been looking for, moaning like that while working out.
My energy deflated, and I stopped furtively rolling my eyes, just staring openly.
Yeah, no way a body like that was common here.
I wanted to say hi, but I'd read somewhere interrupting workouts was dangerous, so I waited for her to finish.
A moment later.
I'd been hovering nearby, and it must've bugged her because she set down the barbell and stood up.
"Excuse me, why do you keep... Huh!? Woojin? You got here faster than I thought."
"Yeah. The line for exams was short. Anyway, can you show me some exercises? First time, no clue where to start."
"Hmm... Then let's check your fitness level first. Wanna try the treadmill over there?"
I followed her finger to the spot and went over together.
"Set the speed here... Tell me if it's too hard. Ready, go!"
The belt hummed to life.
It was a brisk walking pace at first, so I took it easy.
But it kept speeding up until it was basically a full sprint, and I cried uncle.
"Haa... Haa... Isn't that too fast?"
"You seemed to handle it fine, so I pushed it a bit hard. Sorry."
As I caught my breath and couldn't respond, she spoke again.
"But for someone who says it's their first time, your stamina's pretty good? Didn't expect that."
"Haa... Lately... I've been... running... every day... so maybe..."
She looked at me apologetically, sweat-drenched like I'd been caught in rain, then disappeared somewhere.
A minute later, she came back with a thermos and poured me a cup using the lid as a base.
"It's my ion drink. Has ice, so it's cold—drink up and cool off."
It was slightly cloudy compared to water, probably Pocari Sweat.
I chugged it and rested a bit, then she led me to the dumbbells.
"Start at 4kg and go slow. Arms straight down, lift to shoulder height."
After three sets of ten, we bumped it to 6kg, but my arms shook, so I quit.
"Guess this is my limit. Arms are killing me."
"No, that's decent for a beginner. Got a rough idea of your fitness now... What's your goal? Bulking up?"
"Hmm... Nothing set, really. Just wanna boost stamina. Not into getting all muscular."
Yoon Hye-yoon pondered seriously at my words.
I gave her a moment to think when someone laughed loudly and approached.
It was the buff deadlift guy from earlier.
"Whoa!! Who's this? Hye-yoon brought a boyfriend?"
"Ugh, Uncle, it's not like that. Just a friend who wanted to learn, so he came."
The short-haired guy in tight shorts and a fitted short-sleeve tee.
His face was your average friendly uncle type, but his body sure wasn't.
Even if you cloned me ten times to fight him, we'd get crushed. Massive size difference.
I looked up slightly and greeted him.
"Hi. Here to build some stamina."
"Hey, hi. Our Hye-yoon snagged another guy member."
"Another?"
"Well, precisely—guys who signed up after seeing Hye-yoon aren't just one or two. Haha!"
The uncle boomed with laughter; she blushed.
I got it. Honestly, I might not have signed up without her.
"Since you're a friend of Hye-yoon's, I'll coach you for free. Good service, right?"
"Learning from the manager himself? Count me lucky. Start tomorrow?"
"I'm here every day, so anytime. If you bail, Hye-yoon'll drag you back. Haha!"
A chill ran down my spine as the chat ended, and the manager told me to get acclimated today before heading off.
I sighed in relief when the quiet Yoon Hye-yoon spoke up.
"I... didn't pitch the gym on purpose or anything. Just... happy a friend wanted to start working out..."
"No one around me works out. Girl friends just walk; no one does it seriously... Guys... don't really have any close ones..."
She seemed bothered by the manager's "snagged another guy" comment and was making excuses.
I waved it off.
"Nah. I was already set on this gym for the facilities, and having a friend coach a newbie like me is a win."
She liked that—her eyes curved into crescents, lips twitching up.
"Oh, and I'll head out now. Got homework piling up at home. Just came to sign up today."
"Did I take too much of your time? I'll keep training, so go ahead."
"Yeah. Train hard."
With that, we turned to our own paths.
I stuffed the training clothes in the laundry bag, showered off the sweat, dried my body and hair, changed back, and headed home.
Back home doing backlog homework, about an hour later, I heard the neighbor's door open and close.
I ignored it to focus on problems when my phone buzzed.
KakaoTalk!
"Now what."
- XXX Class Notice.
Hello. This is TA XXX for XXX course.
The professor wants a group project.
Complete and present by finals. It'll weigh heavily on your grade.
The attached Excel is randomly assigned groups.
Meet up with your group and finish before finals.
I opened the file—groups of four.
I scrolled to check names with the same number.
Group 6: Park Woojin,
Group 6: Seo Ah-rin,
Group 6: Jang Min-hyuk,
Group 6: Shin Ayoung.
?